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At least one unvaccinated child banned from school by Toronto Public Health after possible measles exposure at west-end daycare

Parents outside the West End College St. YMCA said they received a call from Toronto Public Heath telling them their children had been exposed to measles. Toronto Public Health also confirms four current cases may be linked.

Andrew Ois brought his 7-year-old son Owen to the West End YMCA at College St. and Dovercourt Rd. Monday for the measles vaccination clinic. Parents of children who attend the YMCA daycare said they received a call from Toronto Public Health over the weekend telling them their child may have been exposed to measles when someone who was infected visited the facility in January. (Katrina Clarke / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

“We were just told basically that there had been someone within the centre. . . within a specified date, and as a result of that there was a low likelihood but nonetheless a chance that (my son) could have been in contact,” said Greg Millett outside the West End College St. YMCA. Millett said his son received a second dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. (Damian Dovarganes / AP)

At least one unvaccinated child will be banned from a Toronto school after a possible measles exposure at a daycare by someone with the disease, public health officials confirmed Monday.

Toronto Public Health said a person infected with measles visited the West End College Street YMCA daycare in late January, possibly exposing 120 children to the highly contagious disease. The health unit held a private vaccination clinic Monday for all daycare members, including children, parents and staff.

“If there has been a case of measles at a place like a daycare or a school, all individuals are required to be up to date for their immunizations,” said Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer of health with Toronto Public Health. “If they don’t have two doses then they are excluded (from school and daycare).”

Dubey confirmed one school-aged child who attends the YMCA’s before- and after-school program is not vaccinated against measles. The child has submitted a vaccine exemption form for either medical, philosophical or religious reasons — Dubey would not confirm which.

Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act, school-aged children must be vaccinated to attend school unless they submit an exemption form.

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In the event of exposure to measles, Toronto Public Health can order the exclusion of unvaccinated children from school for 21 days post-exposure.

“Right now we know for sure one individual has an exemption on file but… if anyone else is not up to date with their vaccinations, they will be excluded as well,” she said, adding that 5 per cent of school-aged children were not fully vaccinated against measles.

Dubey would not disclose details about the unvaccinated child, the school he or she attends or the person infected with measles, saying the information was confidential. She did say the infected person was “very likely contagious” when they visited the daycare.

According to the City of Toronto’s website, Dewson Street Junior Public School and Ossington/Old Orchard Junior Public School are two schools linked to the YMCA’s before- and after-school programs.

Spokespeople with the Toronto District and Catholic District school boards referred questions to Toronto Public Health.

Outside the College St. and Dovercourt Rd. daycare, some parents expressed frustration at “anti-vaxxer” parents.

“I think it’s ridonkulous (sic) that people don’t get their kids vaccinated,” said parent Andrew Ois outside the vaccination clinic. “There’s no more granola people than my family, but the truth is that you’ve got to listen to your doctor.”

Nearly 6,000 Toronto students were granted exemptions from vaccinations in the 2012-2013 school year, according to Toronto Public Health.

On Monday, Toronto Public Health announced four cases are possibly related. The cases come from the D4 strain of the virus — meaning it is unrelated to the B3 strain connected to the December Disneyland outbreak. There is still no source case.

The news of possible exposure at the YMCA comes just a few days after five babies contracted measles at a suburban Chicago daycare, according to the Illinois public health officials.

Toronto Public Health is urging Torontonians to check their health records to make sure vaccinations are up to date. Public health officials expect the highly contagious disease to spread.

Tracking measles 2003-2015.

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